Stabilizing mechanism for rail and other wheeled vehciles



f f JNVENTQRS: 4 l f l' adelblzKJk/ns Mud l11B l9'41 c. K. mms mL 2,417,526V

- S-I'ABILIZIIIG IBGHANISI NR RAIL AND OTHER VEHICLES sued spt. ze. 1944 s sums-snm ATI'RNEYS.

March 18, 1947.

` Filed sept. 29, 1944 :s Shasta-sneets 2,417,526 s 'rABILizING MECHANISM Foa RAIL-AND OTHER WHEELEDYEHICLES i a' `herleiten-1t. steine and william M. Keller, Merton, Pa., assignos. to- The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application september 29, i944, serlo1No.s5.6,32s

' `9 clalrns. (cl.- 10s-164) This inventionv relates-to mechanism for stabi- Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram of the motor and lizing rail cars and other wheeled vehicles. its control switches.

The chief aim of our invention is to prevent x With more detailed reference rst more parthe exertion of lateral forces on the occupants ticularly to Figs. 1-8 of these drawings, it will or contents of railway cars and the like incident 5 be noted that vthe `stabilizing 'mechanism there t0 travel at high speeds around curves and also Y illustrated includes atransversely-arranged horiwhen the vehicles are left standing onsuper-l 'Zontal Shaft l0 (see Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 5) which lelevatori or banked curves, with a view towaroprel passes through the laterally-spaced side channels cluding `Joiting of and injury tov passengers or of the longitudinal center sill S at the bottom of displacement and possible damage to ladings 10 the car body C, said shaft being rotative in hushed under either of the conditions mentioned, bearings suitably secured to the outer sides of Another aim of our invention is to secure the said channels. Keyed to the opposite ends o1' the foregoing desideratum in an automatic stabiliz shaft lil are eccentrics I6 and 6a, which. fOr ing mechanism which'is simple and reliable in areason later on explained. are set o ne hundred operation; and which can bereadiiy incorporated 'l5 and eighty degreesjapart, and which are surin existent vehicles without-requiring` any major, rounded by sleeves I1 and Ha respectively with changes in their `construction and without interlnterposition in each instance oi spherical antifering with their normalbehaviorv in other refriction roller 'bearings l|8- AS ShGWn in Figs. spects. -f l' l and 2, the eccentric sleeves i1, lla are adapted other objects and 'attendant advantages will 20 to roll. upon flatv arcuate wear plates I9 and lila appear from the following description of theattransversely arranged on the top of the bolster tached drawings, whereinV .1 B of the car truck T which latter may, generally Fig. 1 isa view partly in end elevation and. speaking.. be of any approved design. said plates partly in transverse section of arailway/ garconv'being concentric with the swivel axis of the truck. veniently embodying'r our improved` stabilizing z-Interpsed between each of the plates I9, |9a mechanism; f l f and the'b'olsterBisa cushioning pad 20 o! rubber Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view in 01 the like` perspective withiportions of the car -body in sec- 1114 aCCOrdanCe With Qur IlVeniOn, the center tion, showing'the stabilizing mechanism, with its Din P fOr the truck T iS made 111 tWO Darts Which car cylinder operated body-tiltingrneans and its 30' are respectively designated 22 and 23 in Fig. 5 control means, and which are connected by a knuckle joint 25. Fig. 3 is aidetail sectional View taken as indl-l AS Shown, the component 22 of the center pin P cated by the angled arrows III- 'III in Fig. 2 extends down through a bearing aperture 26 in illustrating the control means of the rneohathe bottom web 21 0f the truck bolster B. while nism 3A nuckle joint 25 lits rather snugly into an Fig. 4 isa view oi' the control means looking aperture 28 in the t0n web 29 of said bolster. as indicated by the angled arrows IV-rv in The upper component 23 of the center pin P is Fig. 3. l eitherV rigidly connected toor integrally formed Fig, 5 is a detail Sectionm View taken as indi.. with a member 30 in the form of a filler block cated by the angled arrows v V in Fig 2 l 40 which extends crosswise between the side chan- Fig 6 s a fragmentary View corresponding ta nels of the center sill S at the bottom, and which a. f en; L?? n Ilalglngscarls ectiv f Vis separately illustrated in perspective in Fig. 7. certain' Component art f th ph 6 0 45 As shown, it is of rectangular configuration in y p s o e mc an Sm'- plan and has concaved arcuate bottom surfaces Flg. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view corre- 33 and 33a which are struck iro he axis f spondlng to Fig. 2 and showing an alternative m t o the knuckle joint. 25 and which are dis osed at embodiment of ourinvention 1n whichareversible Opposite Sides of @concentric medialparcuate electric motor is utilized to operate the body- 50 tongue or rib 34 Wherefrom the mponem; 23 tlltlng means. y of the center pin P depends. In the assembly,

Fig. 10 is a perSpeCtIVe View 0f the Pendulumthe ller block 30 overlies a swivel member 35 actuated switch means'which we have provided in the forni of a head which is separately illusfor automatically controlling theelectric motor; tl'ated in perspective in Fig. 8. As shown in and 55 Figs- 5 and 6, the block 3U h transversely-eXu Afurther shown, the rises tures 43 and 44 in centerpin P beneath a'washer vthe filler block we have shown a pipes `6'3 and` 6,4 thel valves respectively to opposite end tween'l its two side channels. The 62 'aresi'milarly 'of the 'cylinder 65, through pipes just entered a tending laterally-spaced convex arcuate rises 31 and 31a complemental to the arcuate surfaces 33 and 33a of the which and said block are interposed groups of antifriction rollers 38 and 38a respectively. As K 31 and 31a terminate in end stops 39 and 39a which will be again' referredtohereinafter. The swivel head 35 also has a pendent central boss 40 which fits into the socket 4| of a bearingplate 42 riveted fast to the top web of the truck bolster B; said head and said plate being provided with central aper registry with the central aperture 28 in the top of said bolster'. Fig. the aperture 43 in the swivel head 35 ilares upwardly as at 43a; while from Fig. 6 it will be noted that the arcuate rib 34 of the filler block 3l) engages the transverse slot 45 between the arcuate rises 31, 31a of said head, and from Fig. 5 that the component 23 of the center pin P extends down through the aligned apertures 43, 44 and 28 to meet the component 22 in theknuckle joint 25. A key 46 transversely engaged inthe protruding bottom end ofthe 41 serves to hold 30 to ther swivel head 35. For the purposes of controlling the stabilizing mechanism pendulum 50 which is pivoted at 5l 'at any convenient locationwithin; or on the car body, for example, on a cross wall Vof rsaid body Vas suggested in Fig'. 1, and which is yrestrained against spasmodic movements by a dash pot 52. At a short distance below the'fulcrum 5| the armof the pendulum 50 has a cross bar y53 whichfis normally positioned centrally between the Aends of the slidable actuating stems 55, 56 and 51,58 respectively of opposingly-arrangedvpairs of valves 59, Eiland 6|, 62. Through' 59, 60 are connected l s of a double-acting cylinder' B5 bolted or otherwiserigidly secured to the `center sill S of the car in the interval bevalves 8| 'and connected to the opposite'ends valves 59 and Sii-are in communication with a suitable source (not shown) of pressurev fluid `by way of pipes and' 1|,1while pipes 12 and 13 serve to conduct the exhaust from the valves 6| and 62 to any convenient point of disposal. The

rod to which the piston 16 of the cylinder 65 is secured extends outwardly'through one of the end heads of said cylinder and is integrally formed with, or has secured to it, a toothed rack 11 which meshes with a-spur pinion 18 affixed to the transverse eccentric carrying shaft i0 centrally of the latter, said rack bar beingconfined to longitudinal movement.- by a guide cross member 80 which -extends from one side channel oi' the center sill S tothe other.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: Let it be assumed' that, in Fig. l, the car has curved track section'A having its center of curvature at -a point to the right of the illustration, and that by attendant centrifugal action, the pendulum 50 is caused to assume the angular position indicated by the dash-and-dot to the'right, while exhausting of the right-hand end-'of said cylinder will be allowed to take place via the pipe 81,-the open valve Si and the pipe filler block 30, and between Asshown in ISa latop the 12. The outward movement thus imparted to the rack 11 will, through the pinion 18, cause the shaft I0 to be turned in the direction of the curved arrow thereon in Fig. 2, with attendant rolling of the sleeves l1 and l1a of the eccentrics i6 and |6a on the cushioned arcuate plates i9 and truck bolster B. Since the eccentrics I5 and 16a are set at one hundred eighty degrees from each other on the shaft l0, it iollows, in Fig. l, that the car body C will be tilted until its vertical center line is parallel to the line x':z., whereupon further movement will cease, and will be so held as long as the pendulum 50 remains in its new position. In responding to the action just described, the block rolls on the curved surfaces 31 and 31a of the swivel head 35, while the component 23 of the center pin P swings about its knuckle joint connection 25 with the component 22. The action of course takes place gradually without accompanying shock or jar since spasmodic movement of the pendulum is prevented by the checking ine fiuence of the dash pot 52, so that the occupants left undisturbed and unconscious of any sudden changes in the direction of travel. When used with freight cars, our invention will operate in a like mannerto prevent shifting of andpossible damage to the lading. The foregoing conditions will obtain until the car re-enters .f position with attendant opening of the valves 60 v exerted by gravity obviously ybe and 62 for supply of pressure fluid to the righthand end of. the cylinder 65 by way of pipe 64. Concurrently, the left-hand end of said cylinder will be exhausted via pipe B8, and the shaft i0 will be rotated in the reverse direction to cause, throughcoactionof the eccentrics i6 and iiia with the plates i9 and 13a on the truck bolster B, return of the car body C to its normal true This restoration will likewise be gradual and without attendant-'shock or jar. The vangle to which the car body is vtilted will diiierent depending upon the speed of travel of the car on curved track, it being always parallel to the resultant between force and that exerted by centrifugality. Rounding by the car of track curves in the opposite direction will be attended by reverse operation of the mechanism in a manner which it is believed can be readily understandable without the necessity for separate description. In the eventthat the car is stopped on a super elevated or banked curve, the pendulum 50 will be subject to gravity alone and accordingly caused to take a true upright position, when the car body will be turned by automatic operation oi the before until it assumes a true upright position in parallelism with the pendulum.

In tion illustrated in ible electric motor for actuating carrying shaft l0, said motor being of a type having an extended housing portion 85a which encloses speed-reduction gearing and magnetic brake means (not illustrated) of standard construction. To the output shaft 86 of the motor 85 is secured a worm 81 which meshes with a worm wheel 88 affixed to the shaft I0. As in the iirst embodiment, a pendulum' is here utilized as the controlling element. and a dash pot 52 for preventing spasmodic movements thereof. As shown, the pendulum 50 is fulcrumed on a hollow stud 89v bolted to a supporting panel 80 which may be mounted on a transverse wall or 'partition of the car body.``

atmete` Connected to the pendulum 50 in concentric relation to its fulcrum Y' is a rotary switch disk 9| 'of insulation tothe outer face of which to opposite of its vertical center are secured pairsof spaced metallic concentric contact segments 92 and 93. As shown in Fig. 11 the segments 92 and 93 are respectively connected through conductors 94 and95 withl the terminals of horizontally-aligned,solenoid coils 9B and 91 mounted on the panel 90 to one` side of the pendulum 50. Secured to the outer end of the stud 89 is an upstanding arm 98 of insulation which supports a pair of contacts 99 and |00. As shown these contacts 99 and |00 correspond to the radial spacing of the segments 92 and 93, and, through conductors 0| and |02 (Fig. 11), are connectedto a current supply line |03, |04. The solenoids 98 and 91 have a common armature |05 pivotally connected at the center by a screw |06 to the lower end of a lever |01 which intermediate its length, is fulcrumed at |08 on the panel 90. The lever |01 isnormally maintained in neutral vertical position by compression springs |09 engaging it from opposite sides. At its upper end the lever |01 is pivotally connected at to the `bridge bar of a double throw reversing switch 2 forV the motor 85, said bar being of insulation and having heads at its opposite ends in the outer faces of which contact' plates H3, lll and ||5,.||6 are embedded. As shown, these plates H3, H4, ||5 and I6 are respectively adapted to bridge paired point contacts l |1, ||8, insulate angle pieces |2|, |22, |23 and |24 on the panel 90, and variously connected after common practice by`suitable wiring as shown in Fig. 11 with the armature A and the field coil F of the motor 85 and tothe power line |03, IM.

Upon movement left, for example, the segments into contact with the contacts attendant energization of the As a consequence, the armature |05 will be drawn to the right and. the reversing switch actuated to cause rotation of the moto'r 85in one direction. 'I'he motor 85 will continue in operation with attendant tilting of the car body until itsyertical center is parallel with the pendulum, whencur- 92 will be brought 99 and |00 with solenoid coil 96.

||9 and |20 mounted on are spaced to of the pendulum 50 to the it can be adapted for use with other types of wheeled vehicles. Y l

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. stabilizing mechanism for a. rail and `other wheeled vehicle whereof the body is capable of lateral tilting relative to a. supporting truck, 'said mechanism including a transverse shaft mounted in the underframing of the vehicle body: ICam means at opposite ends of the shaftset yatari angle to each otherv adapted to react with 'the truck to tilt the body in opposite directions from a normal vertical position depending on thedirection of shaft rotation; reversiblepower means yfor actuating theshaft; and control means including an element responsive to centrifugal action Vincident to travel of Athe vehicle on curves, for controlling the operation of the power means so that the shaft is rotated' in the proper direction and to the proper extent to tilt the vehicle body to an angle corresponding to the drift of said element. Y

2. The invention according to claim 1. wherein the means .at thev` opposite ends of the' transverse shaft are respectively in the form of `eccentrics set at one hundred eighty degrees relative to each other; wherein the truck is provided with a bolster; and wherein the eccentrics roll on wear plates adjacent the opposite ends of the bolster. 3. In a vehicle having a, body and a supporting truck, pivot means connecting the body and the truck to allow lateral tilting of the body and swivelling of the truck, said pivot means comprising a swivel member on the body in engagement with a socket on the truck; an opposing member attached to the body and having complementally curved concave `surfaces with interposition between them and arcuate surfaces on the swivel member of anti-friction rollers;` and a center pin with a component pendent from said opposing member and passing down through a ared aperture in the swivel member, and a component whereto the first mentioned component is vpivoted .at .a point from which the aforesaid arcuate surfaces are struck, the last mentioned component of the center pin being confined in bearing means on the truck.

4. -In a vehicle having a body and a supporting truck, pivot means connecting the body and the rent to the motor will be automatically' inter-"1 rupted. Overrunning of the motor is prevented by the associated magnetic vbrake which becomes the current supplyv `tended by engagement of the segments 93 with the contacts 99, |00 and energization of the solenoid 91, with consequent shifting of the armature |05 to the left and movement of the reversing switch H2 in the opposite direction from that in which it was previously moved, to cause reverse rotation of the lmotor 85 and in turn tilting of the car body correspondingly. The performance of the alternative embodiment of our invention is thus identical with that of the first described embodiment and productive of like results. I1 desired, other types of reversible motors may be series motor herein spetions within the scope of the appended claims,

truck to allow lateral tilting of the body and swivelling of the truck, said pivot means comprising a swivel member on the body in engagement with a socket on the truck; an opposing member attached to the body andhaving cornplementally curved concave surfaces with interposition between them and arcuate surfaces `on the swivelmember of anti-friction rollers; and a center pin with a component pendant from said opposing member and passing down through a dared aperture in the swivel member, and a component whereto the rst pivoted at a. point from which the aforesaid arcuate surfaces are struck, the last mentioned component of the center pin being confined in bearing means on the truck; and a pendent transverse tongue lprojection on the member attached to the body in engagement with a transverse slot in the swivel member.

5. In a vehicle having ac body and a supporting truck, pivot means connecting the body and the truck to allow lateral tilting of the body and swlvelling of the truck, said pivot means comprising a swivel member on the body in engagement with a socket on the truck; an opposing member attached to the body and having ccmplementally curved concave surfaces with interposition bementioned component is relative .'o a supporting tween them and arcuate surfaces on the swivel member of anti-friction rollers; vand a center pin with a component pendent from said opposing member and passing down through a ared aperture in the swivel member, and acomponent whereto the rst mentioned component is pivoted at a point from which the aforesaid arcuate surfaces are struck, the last mentioned component of the center pin being conned in bearing means on the truck; and a pendent transverse tongue centrally of the arcuate surface of the member attached to the body in engagement with a transverse slot centrally of the arcuate surface of the swivel member.

6. In a vehiclehaving a body and a supporting truck, pivot means connecting the body and the truck to allowlateral tilting of the body and swivelling of the truck, said pivot means comprising a swivel member on the body in engagement with a socket on the truck; an opposing member attached' to the body and having cornplementaliy curved concave surfaces with interposition between them and arcuate surfaces on the swivel member of anti-friction rollers; and

a center pin with a component pendent from said opposing member and passing down through a flared aperture in the swivel 'memben and a component whereto the rst mentioned component is pivot-ed at a point from which the aforesaid arcuate surfaces are struck, the last mentionedV component of the center pin being confined in bearing means on the truck; and stops on the swivel member adapted, by 'cooperation with the member attached to the body, to limit lateral tilting of the body in opposite directions. .-7. stabilizing mechanism for a rail or other vehicle with a body capable vof lateral tilting truck, said mechanism comprising a shaft; means actuated by the shaft for tilting the bodyr in opposite directions from a normal vertical position depending upon the direction of shaft rotation; reversible power means including a double-acting pressure fluid cylinder on the vehicle body, and a gear connection between the piston Arod of the cylinder and the shaft; and control means including a pendulum fulcrumed on the vehicle body, normally closed valves arranged at opposite sides of the pendulum with slidable actuating stems in the path of the pendulum, and piping connecting said valves respectively with opposite ends ofthe double-acting cylinder, whereby, incident to drift of the pendulum in one direction or another the corresponding individual valves are opened to admit pressure fluid to one or the other end o f the cylinder for actuation of the shaft through the gearing.

8. stabilizing mechanism vehicle with a body capable of relative to a supporting truck, comprising a lateral tilting said mechanism transverse shaft; cam means at opposite ends of the shaft adapted to react with the truck to tilt the body in opposite directions from a normal vertical position depending on the direction of ing a revers shaft rotation; power means includible electric motor on the car body and gear connections between said motor and the shaft;

and control means including a pendulum fulcrumed on the car body and a normally open double-throw reversing switch moved in one direction or the other depending on the direction of -ingiy permit in one direc 9. stabilizing mechanism vehicle with drift of the pendulum to correspondflow of electric current to the motor tionorthe other as required.

for a rail or other a body capable of lateral tilting relativeto the supporting truck, said mechanism comprising a transverse shaft; cam means at opposite ends of the shaft adapted to react with the truck to tilt the body in opposite directions from a normal ver tical position depending upon the direction of shaft rotation; power means including a reversible electric motor on body, and gear connections between the vehicle said motor and the shaft: and control means including a pendulum fulcrumed on the car body, a normally open double-throw reversing switch having an actuating lever.

magnet coils xedly mounted adjacent the lever and having a common armature connected means operative upon drift of the pendulum in one direction or the other to close circuits through the respective magnet coils to cause the reversing switch to be correspondingly thrown and so control the directional rotation of the motor.

CARLETON K. STEINS. WILLIAM M. KELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number for a rail or other" 

